Tim Bought Comics on July 11th, 2007. Here's Proof.

New Avengers #32 -

Remember this Special Guest Reviewer?



What-what does this mean? This month's New Avengers exists to tell us all what-what this means, Danny. And to tell us, and to tell us, and to tell us some more. I thought Bendis was so popular because his dialogue was so nuanced, so subtle, so real. So what the hell's going on here, with my New Avengers being re-titled Parrots on A Plane?

I realize that I'm not much for keeping a low word count either, but Bendis, please: WE GET IT. THE HOOK TO YOUR GIGANTIC STORY IS "WHO CAN YOU TRUST?" I'm not sure we needed to see the New Avengers talking rather than acting for 20 pages, just to make sure every single reader understands the ramifications of Skrullz Iz Everywhere. Wolverine? Luke Cage? Hashing out the issues and asking questions for the less cerebral New Avengers like Dr. Strange, Spider-Man, and even Iron Fist (though, given his stupefaction recounted at the top...)? That doesn't feel right. (And it also doesn't feel like Bendis did it on purpose to show people "acting out of character" i.e. Skrully.)

It doesn't look right, either. I can appreciate Leinil Yu's technique, but the scratchiness of the art is wearing thin with me and its getting hard to tell what's going on, even when there's action on the page. What the hell is Spider-Woman doing exactly with Skullectra's corpse at the end? Is that even a real corpse? It's hard to tell the way the arms are sticking out of the shroud she's in.

I will continue to pick up New Avengers with cautious optimism; there's a cool story to be told, if only Bendis and Yu will show a little more and tell a lot less.

Superman Confidential #5:
This is what comics are capable of when good concepts are plotted and drawn into compelling stories. Darwyn Cooke and Tim Sale continue the Origin Of Kryponite, a story I didn't even know I needed to read. And, it's an origin story that doesn't bog down with dry exposition. True, these first five issues have been crammed with relationship stuff (Superman and Lois, Superman and Luthor, not to mention Superman with himself, Superman and Kryptonite, and this issue Luthor and Kryptonite), but the character building all happens organically in the framework of an ongoing plot. While Bendis and his New Avengers seem to obsess over Where We're Going, Superman Confidential shows us How We Get There.

I bought a few other books, too. Updating soon...